One such apparatus of the type generally referred to above is described within DE 41.23.501 describing an apparatus including: a capsule connected with one end of a transport wire, which is slidable by a drive motor; a safe for storage of the capsule and provided with a channel from taking the capsule into and out of the safe via the transport wire; at least one applicator; a number of transport wires corresponding with the number of applicators, which each have a first end connected to an applicator; a switch-connecting plate with multiple passages, wherein each second end of each transport tube is connected to a passage; a switch with a passageway which, on the one hand, can successively be brought into a position in line with one of the passages in the switch-connecting plate and, on the other hand, connects to a first end of a tube whose other end connects to the channel through the safe; and at least one farther switch with a passageway, which can be brought in line with one of the passages in the switch-connecting plate, just like the passageway of the first switch, so that a further capsule on a further transport wire can be displaced by a further drive motor through the transport tube connecting to the passage selected by the position of the further switch.
With such an apparatus, a capsule can be introduced into an applicator to be selected by setting of the switch and can be stopped at different locations to locally effect a concentrated radiation in the body of a patient. Said publication discloses an independently controlled switch to guide a dummy capsule into the applicator for testing purposes. With increasing age of the radioactive source, the dose rate released by the capsule decreases, as a result of which the radiation time needs to be prolonged. If this dose rate is too low, the capsule with the radioactive source present therein needs to be replaced.